Devotees face hardships to reach famous Bandipora shrine in absence of proper road

Bandipora, Mar 8: A famous Sufi shrine of Baba Dawood Khaki (RA), locally known as Chaar Yaar has been craving for a road in Brar village of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

According to the locals of Brar village, where the revered shrine is located on a hillock with a breathtaking view of Wular, in absence of a proper road devotees have to face “extreme” difficult conditions to climb uphill.

Surprisingly, years ago two roads were cut, one in 2018 and another in 2019, however, none was completed. Villagers say that both the roads were constructed by the Block development department, but the contractor was never paid.

“In 2018 a road to the shrine was cut and work left halfway, after neglecting it, the land was taken for the construction of JNV in 2020,” Bashir Ahamd Reshi, a local said. As the process of takeover was being done, in 2019, another road was cut to the shrine but this process was also never completed after some minor cutting works, locals said, adding that the contractor had some liability and the work was ultimately abandoned.

The caretakers at the shrine said that despite efforts no one in the administration paid any heed to their pleas and the devotees have to take a strenuous walk uphill to reach the revered shrine. “It is very difficult for devotees to walk uphill to the shrine. Moreover, no developmental works like tile paths or fencing has been carried out here,” the caretakers said.

They said the shrine was revered and holds deep importance for people living in Bandipora and to all those attracted to the Sufi faith.

“The government must ponder on it and make headway for a road to the shrine as soon as possible,” Javid Ahamd Dar, another villager said. Block Development Officer (BDO) Bandipora, Arif Ahamd told Greater Kashmir that he will look into the matter. “If demands from the public are pending for long or have an urgency it will be included soon in the plan.”